Procurement: RFP: Solicitation No.3 USDA-FFPr-2025_Baseline External Contractor - (1198)

Job Title

Procurement: RFP: Solicitation No.3 USDA-FFPr-2025_Baseline External Contractor

Location

RW (Primary)

Category

Procurement

Job Description

Issue Date: May 5, 2025

Due Date for Questions: May 12, 2025 -- Instructions: Questions must be submitted in writing; phone calls will not be accepted. Only CNFA’s written answers will be considered official and carry weight in the solicitation and subsequent evaluation. Verbal information received from CNFA or any other entity should not be considered an official response to any questions

Closing Date: May 12, 2025

RFP No: Solicitation No.3 USDA-FFPr-2025_Baseline External Contractor

Place of Performance: Kigali, Rwanda

Period of Performance: June-August 2025 (to be agreed upon during contract signing)

Background: 

Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) is an international agricultural development organization that specializes in the design and implementation of sustainable, enterprise-based agricultural initiatives. Since its inception in 1985, CNFA has designed and implemented enterprise-based, agricultural development initiatives to facilitate market access, enhance agribusiness competitiveness, increase productivity, and improve access to inputs and financing in 46 countries around the world.

In September 2024, CNFA began implementing the USDA Food for Progress Rwanda Haranira Ubuziranenge Project (Haranira Ubuziranenge or the Project) with a total budget of $31,995,000 USD. The Project seeks to achieve the following objectives:

• To increase agricultural productivity and food security through improving commodity supply chains by increasing farmer adoption of climate-smart technologies and practices that contribute to improved food safety. 
• To increase agricultural trade through supporting the Government of Rwanda to integrate international science-based food safety standards and support farmers, cooperatives and other aggregators, and domestic market actors to adhere to these standards and increase the value of target commodities

Statement of Work: 

Haranira Ubuziranenge project will work in the districts of Rubavu, Rwamagana, Nyabihu, Bugesera, Kayonza, and Musanze. The Project will prioritize collaboration with key stakeholders across the food safety system, including government institutions, associations, cooperatives, SMEs and smallholder farmers.

The Project will have 25,575 direct beneficiaries, which can be disaggregated by several target groups, namely, 20,600 producers, 390 beneficiaries in private sector firms, and 4,585 beneficiaries in government:

Government Institutions: Across all components, Haranira Ubuziranenge will work with key public institutions in SPS and food safety, including Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB), Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), Ministry of Trade and Industry (MINICOM), Rwanda Inspectorate, Competition and Consumer Protection Authority (RICA), Rwanda Standards Board (RSB), and Ministry of Health, Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (RFDA) and the National SPS Committee.

Farmers (through cooperatives, Farm Service Centers (FSCs), public extension, and end buyers): Under Component 3, Haranira Ubuziranenge will facilitate farmers’ adoption of GAP that improve productivity and food safety by working through and strengthening the capacity of associations and cooperatives, as well as by supporting FSCs, private sector service providers, public extension systems, and end-buyers to embed training on GAP in their service delivery and increasing awareness of food safety regulations.

Private sector market actors (cooperatives and SMEs): Haranira Ubuziranenge will facilitate increased participation of the private sector in national-level SPS and food safety policymaking and coordination, through associations (Component 1); increase private companies’ access to testing, especially in horticulture (Component 2 and 3); and promote the use of GAP and PHH to improve food safety, including encouraging businesses (including cooperatives and SMEs engaged with smallholder farmer for their supply chains) to incorporate these practices and related training into their operations and supply chains to reach various food systems actors and achieve the desired food safety outcomes (Component 3).

Associations and Business Development Service Providers (BDSPs): Haranira Ubuziranenge will strengthen the capacity of key SPS and food safety stakeholders to actively participate in implementing food safety and providing critical food safety services to horticulture producers, processors, and other food systems actors. Specifically, the Project will strengthen food safety awareness and compliance through greater collaboration with private sector associations and such as the Private Sector Federation (PSF), the Horticulture Exporters Association of Rwanda (HEAR) and key farmer associations (IMBARAGA and Ingabo) to address private sector constraints and to increase communication on SPS and food safety requirements. Further, critical to sustainability, CNFA will build the capacity of local BDSPs on the development and implementation of food safety programs, who can continue to provide such services following the activity.

The Project has identified a set of activities under 3 components. These activities constitute the inputs to the Results Framework. The Project approach and activities are designed to achieve the set of results laid out in the Results Framework. The six Project activities are summarized below.

Component 1

Activity 1: Capacity Building: Trade Associations 

CNFA will provide technical support to the National Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Committee, coordinated by the Rwanda Inspectorate, Competition and Consumer Protection Authority (RICA). CNFA will provide technical support to RICA to help re-activate the SPS Committee, increase private engagement, design a plan for financial sustainability, and facilitate advocacy to support its proper functioning and increase investments in SPS capacity. CNFA will build capacity on utilization of evidence-based approaches to prioritize SPS investments and develop the national SPS work plan for advocacy and sustained funding.   

CNFA will organize the expanded SPS Committee meetings and public-private dialogues (PPDs) including key associations representing the private sector, producer groups, and farmers (including those receiving training and grants in Activity 6). These meetings will allow the private sector to share its SPS constraints and priorities with the SPS Committee, for the Committee to mobilize public investments that will help to address the constraints. CNFA will support RICA and other government members (see Activity 2) of the National SPS Committee to develop an advocacy strategy to secure sustainable funding for the SPS Committee from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN).  

Activity 2: Capacity Building: Promote Improved Policy and Regulatory Framework

CNFA will facilitate coordination with the East African Community (EAC) and the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) to ensure the Food Safety Framework is harmonized with EAC standards and international best practices. CNFA will provide technical support to the Ministry of Health to finalize the Food Safety Framework. CNFA will provide technical assistance to revise the policy, law, and strategy and consultations with key public and private stakeholders. CNFA will establish or update memorandums of understanding (MoUs) between priority ministries (MoH, Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), and Ministry of Trade and Industry (MINICOM)) and government institutions (National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB), Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), RICA, Rwanda Standards Board (RSB), and Rwanda Food and Drug Administration (RFDA), and other ministries as necessary). 

CNFA will support private sector actors to comply with food safety regulations, including providing technical assistance to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to develop and implement food safety programs that are compliant with regulatory requirements. Once the Food Safety Framework is validated by the Cabinet of Rwanda, CNFA will work with the MoH to develop and implement a public communication strategy to increase private-sector awareness about the new food safety regulations. 

Component 2

Activity 3: Capacity Building: Government Institutions

CNFA will conduct assessments to identify gaps in the inspection protocols. This capacity building will enable government institutions to better perform inspections, improve surveillance programs and emergency plans, and complete the timely submission of required reports. CNFA will engage the private sector and will invite participants (from Activity 6) to participate in brainstorming sessions on how the surveillance system should be improved. CNFA will facilitate Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between RICA, RSB, NAEB, RAB, and RFDA to better define their roles and responsibilities and reduce overlap. As needed, CNFA will help key institutions to develop or improve existing SOPs for inspection, protocols for risk analysis, and risk categorization frameworks (linked with laboratory strengthening in Activity 4). CNFA will support RFDA and RICA to analyze the costs and benefits of introducing a risk-based licensing system and potentially roll out this system. CNFA will provide technical assistance to MINAGRI, MoH, RAB, and MINICOM to establish an emergency funding mechanism to enable immediate investigations of outbreaks. CNFA will help to reduce delays and improve the accuracy of reporting on plant and animal pest outbreaks, diseases, and occurrences of foodborne illness to the EAC and other trade partners, as well as to the WOAH, Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), International Plant Protection Convention, and the World Trade Organization (WTO) by harmonizing coordination and reporting mechanisms through the SPS Committee. Reports will be consolidated by the relevant competent authorities and submitted in a timely manner to WOAH, Codex, and IPPC. CNFA will support the relevant government institutions to avoid duplication of efforts by facilitating transparency through open secured sources of data.

Activity 4: Infrastructure: Off Farm

CNFA will directly procure a total of $633,150 in equipment for private and public laboratories. CNFA will provide laboratory equipment for public laboratories and will provide cost-sharing opportunities to private laboratories to enable them to reach international accreditation. Private laboratories could provide cost share by, for example, demonstrating purchases of related consumables, directing additional staff time toward international accreditation, or covering the cost of related staff training. The equipment provided under this activity will be accompanied by validation of test methods to improve the accuracy of analytical data, increased access to testing and inspection services in the horticulture sector, in order to respond to domestic and international market requirements. Through the AOAC Laboratory Performance Benchmarking Program (LPBP), Haranira Ubuziranenge will identify and address capacity gaps in public and private laboratories by providing customized training and coaching to the analysts to improve analytical capabilities and the accuracy of analytical data. With AOAC leading,  Haranira Ubuziranenge will support Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) audits and proficiency testing programs to facilitate laboratory accreditation. 

Specifically for private laboratories, CNFA will provide coaching in management, business planning, and marketing. CNFA will sign MoUs with public and private laboratories including sustainability plans for equipment use and maintenance, and consumables supply. For private laboratories, CNFA will require MoUs to detail cost-share commitments with minimum 40% contributions (in-kind or in-cash) to encourage private-sector buy-in and sustainability. CNFA will explore supporting creation of a network of public and private laboratories to provide efficient laboratory services for both the public and the private sector needs.  

In collaboration with the AOAC Africa Section Laboratory Performance Benchmarking Program (AOAC Africa LPBP), CNFA will; (i) assess the capability, standards and performance of public and private laboratories involved in food testing in Rwanda, (ii) support proficiency testing (PT) programs and guide laboratories through the accreditation process, (iii) design training, coaching and capacity building programs to improve laboratory capabilities and the accuracy of analytical data. CNFA will use the AOAC Africa LPBP to strengthen a collaborative network of public and private laboratories coordinated by RSB, to support official testing and monitoring functions.   CNFA will assist Rwanda food testing laboratories to develop a sustainable and inclusive business model including a fee-for-service mode CNFA will support the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) to provide a comprehensive list of laboratories and their capacities on their One Stop Centre platform, as well as an SOP to ensure the list is up to date. 

Component 3

Activity 5: Public Information Campaign: Disperse Improved Market Information

CNFA will strengthen outreach by the government and associations through a multi-platform awareness campaign. CNFA will conduct a rapid assessment of government outreach and extension programs   and recommend how to integrate food safety information. CNFA will then provide capacity building to government extension agents in the responsible institutions to improve food safety outreach and awareness strategies targeting associations, SMEs, producer groups, and farmer-based groups with information on food safety hazards, good hygiene practices , good agricultural practices (GAP) for plant pests and disease management, and the safe use of pesticides.

 Outreach strategies and communication channels will be tailored for each actor type, considering potentially different needs for women, youth, and people living with disabilities (PWDs). Communication channels may include Rwanda’s One Stop Centre’s online business registration platform, print and digital media, and events. Based on the findings of the food hygiene and food safety survey (Activity 6), CNFA will 1) identify the most impactful media channels such as radio messages, SMS, cooperatives, buyers, extension agents to reach target audiences, and 2) offer capacity building to local actors such as cooperatives, market retailers, processors, and traders to ensure that information on SPS regulations, and best practices reaches their suppliers.

Activity 6: Cash and In-Kind Grants: Inputs, Equipment, Cold Storage Infrastructure

CNFA will launch the Co-Investment Fund (CIF) to provide grants to mitigate high-risk areas of sub-sectors identified by a food hygiene and safety survey. CNFA will provide grants to support cooperatives (including those investing in cold chain), agribusinesses, Farm Service Centers (FSCs), associations, and larger farmers who aggregate smallholder production with grants to procure equipment to improve post-harvest handing (e.g., solar driers), storage, and cold chain (e.g., the low-cost CoolBot), as well as related food safety training.  

CNFA will conduct a food hygiene and safety survey to 1) assess the adoption of food safety and hygiene practices in priority sub-sectors for the domestic market, 2) provide a mitigation strategy to address potential food safety challenges to market actors adopting appropriate food safety practices during market fluctuations, and 3) identify where grant investment and technical assistance will have the greatest impact. CNFA will use the food hygiene and safety survey findings to upgrade outreach and extension training modules to include science-based food safety information, post-harvest handling and storage (PHHS), and GAPs for priority sub-sectors. CNFA will train public extension agents on these modules so they can target producers and cooperatives. CNFA will identify synergies with the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program Home-Grown School Feeding project (HGSF). CNFA will offer GAP, CSA, and PHHS training to agricultural cooperatives and schools providing foods used in school meals. CNFA will engage certified Business Development Service Providers (BDSPs), including those trained by Haranira Ubuziranenge, to assess and strengthen capacity of cooperatives and associations, including those that could supply HGSF schools.  CNFA will conduct assessments to define the challenges in the horticulture value chain and carry out recommendations for improving cold chain/post harvest capacity building, policy, and research. 

Instructions and Requirements for Submissions of Expressions of Interest: 

1. Provide a cover page that includes your organization’s name, address, and telephone number along with the date and RFP number and signature of an authorized representative of the Offeror. 
2. Provide a brief overview of your organization.
3. EOIs must be one page and received by the closing date and time indicated. They must be submitted in PDF or Word.  

Offerors that demonstrate interest and expertise providing business development support services to organizations in response to USDA solicitations will receive an RFP. CNFA will leave this Expression of Interest open through the deadline of the full solicitation, however the deadline of the solicitation will not change and Offerors must comply with the solicitation deadline and all requirements. Issuance of this request for expressions of interest does not constitute an award commitment on the part of CNFA, nor does it commit CNFA to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of an application. Expressions of Interest are submitted at the risk of the applicant; should circumstances prevent award of an agreement, all preparation and submission costs are at the applicant’s expense.

Application Submission

Please see section 6 and email submission by May 12, 2025 to USDA Rwanda Procurement Team Procurement@cnfa-rwanda.org and Reference: Solicitation no. USDA-FFPr-2025_Baseline External Contractor